


Another Man's Treasure

by SharkGirl



Series: Home [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animal Hybrids, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Animal Hybrid AU, Cute, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:17:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7124521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenma's thoughts leading up to One Man's Trash.  Prequel to both that and Broken Wings.</p><p>His entire body was shaking by the time he reached the other man.  Cautiously, he walked closer.  He felt the tight knot in his stomach release a bit when he sniffed the air and found the blood to be someone’s other than Kuroo’s.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Man's Treasure

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trapped in this AU and I figure...it could be worse.  
> This is prequel to One Man's Trash, as well as Broken Wings. Told from Kenma's POV.
> 
> I kept rewriting the beginning and the ending and I think I used my "Undo Typing" button in MSWord more than I ever have.
> 
> Please enjoy!!

When Kuroo went off to the gym or class or work, Kenma seized his opportunity to get some extra sleep, cuddled up in their bed, the sheets still warm from their shared body heat and smelling strongly of Kuroo.  Kenma loved his scent, rich and spicy, comforting and familiar.

He can still remember that night, a month ago, when Kuroo came home late, soaked from head to toe and reeking of blood.  Kenma had shot up in bed and came bounding into the living room, his heart in his throat.  His entire body was shaking by the time he reached the other man.  Cautiously, he walked closer.  He felt the tight knot in his stomach release a bit when he sniffed the air and found the blood to be someone’s other than Kuroo’s.

But that just raised further questions.

“Kuro-”

“A hybrid,” he said, like that was answer enough.

Of course for Kenma, who’d lived with Kuroo for the past sixteen years and knew him inside and out, it was.

Kuroo was a bleeding heart, someone willing to champion for righteous causes and help those who needed it.  If he wasn’t like that, Kenma probably would still be in an alley somewhere, huddled behind a dumpster, or, more likely, dead.  But he didn’t want to think about the ‘what if’s or ‘maybe’s.

“Were they…”

Still alive?  He didn’t want to say it.

“He was hurt,” Kuroo answered, taking off his sopping wet jacket and hanging it over the back of one of their kitchen chairs to dry.  “Nearly lost his left wing.”

Oh.  So he was a bird.

“Bo and I patched him up,” he explained.  There was blood on one side of his shirt and smudges on his arms and neck that could have been dirt.  He scrubbed his face with a hand and let out a sigh.  He looked tired.

“I’ll go run a bath,” Kenma said and didn’t give Kuroo a chance to reply.  He walked through their bedroom and toward the attached bathroom, quickly turning on the tap and waiting for the water to get warm enough before he plugged the drain.  Kuroo liked the water nearly scalding.

His sensitive ears picked up the soft padding of feet across their carpeted floor.  He turned and saw Kuroo standing in the doorway to the bathroom.  He looked haggard.  But of course he did.  He always woke up at dawn to go to the gym and he worked late every other night at the _izakaya_.  Plus, he was going for his masters and, when he wasn’t in class, he was studying or writing dissertations.

Kenma lowered his ears, the tip of his tail flicking from side to side.  He hated that Kuroo had to work so hard.  But he was no help to him.  He had no papers so he couldn’t legally work and, even if he could, who would want to hire a cat?  They weren’t strong like dogs or hyper-intelligent like birds.

There was one job that cats without owners could do and the mere thought of it made Kenma shudder.  He was no stray.

“You look troubled.” Kuroo’s voice was suddenly close.  Kenma looked up at saw worry in those dark aureate eyes of his.  “Is it the smell?”

Kenma’s gaze dropped to the floor, his cheeks burning with shame.  Kuroo had saved someone’s life tonight, after working a double shift, and he _still_ put Kenma’s comfort before his own.

He turned back toward the tub and put his hands on the rim, staring down into the rapidly filling basin.  The water was clear and steaming.

“I’m going to hop in the shower first,” Kuroo said from behind him, "Wash some of this off.”

Kenma heard the metallic whine of the pipes before the soothing spray of the shower.  He closed his eyes and listened as Kuroo hummed some random tune.  He felt something hot at his finger tips and opened his eyes again.  The tub was nearly overflowing.  He quickly turned off the tap and sat back on his heels, waiting for Kuroo.

He rested his cheek on the edge of the tub, the cool porcelain contrasting with the balmy steam rising up from the hot water.  He must have fallen asleep because he suddenly felt Kuroo gently shaking his shoulder.

“Go to bed, Kitten,” he said, voice soft.

“Dnnwnna,” Kenma mumbled and curled in on himself, his tail coming to wrap around his body.

“C’mon, Ken-Ken,” Kuroo sounded like he was grinning.  Kenma didn’t bother to open his eyes, he just turned toward where he thought Kuroo’s face might be.

“Not without you.”

“You sleep without me all the time.” He heard the other man chuckle.

“Doesn’t mean I like it.” Kenma opened his eyes then and bit his lower lip.

“Kenma…”

“On second thought,” he stood up and looked away. “I’ll go wait for you on the bed.”  He took a couple steps, but stopped when he felt Kuroo’s hand wrap around his wrist, his skin still extra warm and slightly damp from his shower.

“I didn’t-” Kuroo hesitated. “I didn’t take him home because-”

“I know,” Kenma said without looking back.  Kuroo didn’t bring the bird to their apartment because he wasn’t sure how Kenma would react.  And, honestly, Kenma wasn’t sure how he would have reacted if he had.  Hybrids weren’t really meant to interact with each other.  They were pets, created to serve their human owners.  “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Kuroo’s voice was gentle as his thumb softly caressed Kenma’s wrist.  “Besides, Bo could use some excitement in his life,” he chuckled and then added, “as well as the company.”

Kenma gave a small hum in agreement, still staring at the grout between tiles.

“You know,” Kuroo sounded like he was smiling again. “He’s an owl.”

Kenma felt a smile tugging at his lips.  Bokuto had been absolutely owl-obsessed since he was a child.

“He must be thrilled.”

“Ecstatic,” Kuroo replied, pulling Kenma back toward him and wrapping his arms around his middle.  His naked chest was still wet from his shower and Kenma bristled.  Kuroo chuckled and placed his chin on the crown of Kenma’s head.  “Just for a minute.”

“Fine…”

Kuroo laughed again and then let out a sigh.

“Humans are cruel,” he said and Kenma found himself wanting to look at the face he was making, but he was trapped.

“Some are.”

“I don’t know what would possess someone to…” Kuroo trailed off.  He released Kenma and stepped back.  “I’d better get in the bath before it cools.” 

Kenma nodded and made his way toward their bedroom.  But he stopped in the doorway and turned to face Kuroo.

“Not all.”

“Hm?” Kuroo looked up, one of his long legs raised over the tub's edge.

“Not all humans are cruel.”

“Yeah.” He stepped the rest of the way into the tub and sunk down into the water, letting out a quiet hiss.

Kenma walked back over to him, wrapping his fingers around the tub’s rim as he leaned down, his eyes locking with Kuroo’s.

“You can’t save them all,” he said.

“I know,” Kuroo replied, his lips forming a slight frown.

“But,” Kenma pushed his damp bangs from his eyes.  “I pray you never stop trying.” He offered what he hoped was a confidence-boosting smile before moving closer and brushing his lips over Kuroo’s forehead.

He made to pull away, but remained still when he felt wet fingers slip into his hair and grip the back of his head.

“You do that on purpose,” Kuroo said, voice strained.

“Do what?” Kenma asked, the heat coming off the water and his close proximity to Kuroo making his face flush.

“Drive me crazy.” Kuroo pulled him closer, his lips mere millimeters away.  “Kenma…can I?” he asked, his warm breath ghosting over Kenma’s lips.

It was times like this that Kenma wasn’t sure if he wanted to run away or climb into Kuroo’s lap and bury himself in the other man’s warmth.  His ears twitched and he swallowed.

“Okay.”

Kuroo’s kisses were always soft and gentle.  Kenma could get lost in them.  He pressed closer, slotting his lips against the other man’s, wanting to fuse with him, to become one being.  Heat pooled in his belly and he was filled with a sort of longing he couldn’t vocalize.

“Kenma…” Kuroo breathed against his lips.

“Kuro,” he echoed, pushing closer until his elbow slipped off the rim of the rub and he nearly fell into the steaming water.

 

Kenma woke with a start.  He’d gotten so lost in his daydream that he actually nodded off.  He could still feel Kuroo’s lips against his and he closed his eyes to savor it.  The other man had left early that morning to go to the gym and had neglected to give him his morning kiss.

His ears picked up the sound of their front door opening.  Embarrassed at his own longing for a kiss, Kenma buried himself under the covers and hid.  He heard their bedroom door click open and smelled Kuroo’s scent, even stronger than usual because he’d worked up a sweat.

“Kenma…” He heard the other sigh, but Kenma wasn’t coming out.  He was going to stay under the covers and pout.  That’s what Kuroo got for messing up their morning routine.  “It’s almost nine.”

So?

“I brought breakfast.”

Meh.

“They had apple pies.”

Well, perhaps he could forgive him.  Just this once.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these two. >:3
> 
> Let me know what you think and hit me up on tumblr [@jubesy](http://jubesy.tumblr.com)!


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